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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhat do we tell the children?
Doing yard work today, mowing, trimming trees, etc. and bagging all of the yard waste up like we're supposed to. I got six bags worth and decided to take them to the County Compost facility, located about 2.5 miles from my house. My seven year old daughter wanted to ride along so I said, "Sure. Why not?"
We got there, paid the nominal fee and backed the truck into what looked like a suitable spot to quickly unload the bags and go on about our business. I opened up the back of the truck and noticed the guy next to me not only had a sign on the side of his truck which said, "Oathkeepers", he also had a pistol strapped on. It was holstered, but unmistakably a pistol. My daughter, who is curious and not really shy, asked him, "Mister, why do you have a gun?" I was trying to stop her and unload the truck all at once so it was not easy. Anyway, the guy said, "Honey, we need to beware of the federal government. They are coming to take away our freedoms." I was trying to hustle her into the truck before the guy said anything else because I was ready to go off on him myself but he had a (presumably loaded) pistol in plain sight and I don't particularly want to get shot. We got the bags out of the truck and moved along without any further incident but I am afraid that I gave an inadequate answer to my kid when she asked me why he had a gun. I told her that maybe he feels unsafe around people who are different than him (like her) and he is afraid. I also told her it's not a good thing to always be scared, sometimes things happen but that we should just move on with our lives and learn from incidents.
This guy owns a landscape business but I'll never do business with him. I hope no one else will either. Hope I haven't offended anyone or bored anyone to tears.
In_The_Wind
(72,300 posts)Bluzmann57
(12,336 posts)I think that's a sad commentary on American life.
In_The_Wind
(72,300 posts)Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)I'm not sure if we're looking at 'sign of hte times" stuff, or "sign of the system' stuff.
rug
(82,333 posts)Then, in the most gentle manner possible, tell her there are people in the world who will shoot people to protect garbage.
By the time she's a teenager she will understand corporations.
NightWatcher
(39,343 posts)That sidearm is going to be useless
billymike
(122 posts)You handled that beautifully! Keep on following your fine intuition and gentle nature.
elleng
(130,126 posts)awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)and, thusly, are losing political power. They know it, and it is making them scared and crazy.
On edit: I am a white male, and understand that not all of us are going crazy- just the well armed ones, which is worrisome.
Kang Colby
(1,941 posts)EL34x4
(2,003 posts)That was a nice touch.
Martin Eden
(12,801 posts)Just keep in mind that this is book is not closed. Continual wise mentoring on guns, foolish adults, and a host of other issues will be necessary.
My own take on the individual you encountered is that he's indulging in a sick and delusional fantasy. Under what circumstances would using his gun(s) against federal authority enhance his freedom? He would be dead or in prison.
Beyond that, an actual shooting war that would somehow manage to overthrow our own government would result in hardships and tyranny far greater than whatever his warped mind currently conjures up. The armed "militias" that would likely spearhead such a revolt would be the centers of power in a war torn land controlled by local warlords. The Constitutional government bequeathed to us by our nation's Founders would be destroyed, not preserved.
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)A whole herd of the armed white guys could not even manage to handle occupying a forest ranger post.
I am not too afraid of folks like them as long as they are not around me, cause they have no idea how to handle weapons, from what we saw on the news.
And some of them drink.
OldRedneck
(1,397 posts)"Daddy, why does that man have a gun?"
"Because he's an asshole."
"Daddy, what's an asshole?"
Bernardo de La Paz
(48,773 posts)dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)Bluzmann57
(12,336 posts)And it's true. Unfortunately.
Igel
(35,191 posts)It assumes that the guy is a racist because he's white and has a gun. It teaches her that the stock answer to why somebody different from her does something is that he feels unsafe around her because she's different or because he's afraid of her because she's different.
His actions are all about her difference. I'm assuming it's race.
I'd have said it has nothing to do with her (it doesn't), and that he doesn't trust the government. Maybe he lives in a tough neighborhood or carries cash and thinks he needs to defend himself. If she asked why he didn't trust government I'd have answered, "No idea. Maybe they messed up and he resents it, maybe he messed up and thinks they're coming for him, maybe he doesn't understand something or he's afraid somebody's going to take away his rights." And that would be a good time to explain that rights, even those you personally disagree with, should be respected, because when you start intruding on rights bad things happen.
Bluzmann57
(12,336 posts)I do the best I can. She didn't ask why he didn't trust government but if she does, I may take your (presumably expert) advice.
spanone
(135,627 posts)RB TexLa
(17,003 posts)It's one of the thousands of things I never have to worry about. Posts like this make me feel great. You all can worry about shit like that and I can just laugh at you.
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)There is nothing wrong with some people choosing not to have children. But reacting to those who make a different choice with derision and laughter is just very weird and sad.
Rhiannon12866
(202,955 posts)At least the creep was friendly to your little girl. And seven is kind of a young age to be expected to understand these things. I'm not sure I do. I think you did a good job. And it also sounds like you've already done a good job with your daughter.
Ilsa
(61,675 posts)Federal gubmint? He's a loser, and I bet his wife is, too.
Glad you know who he is and which business he owns.